Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Nature lovers and wilderness freaks, there’s some fresh and welcome news for you all! The Melghat Tiger Reserve management has decided to develop Harisal, Chourakund and Shahanoor as ecotourism spots and the project is already underway, which sure takes ecotourism in India to a higher level by another jump. The main idea behind his whole ecotourism project in Melaghat Tiger Reserve is to preserve the core and Critical Tiger Habitats (CTHs) as per the guidelines laid down by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA).

As per the new rules put forward by the Sponsored Schemes (CSS) of ‘Project Tiger,’ the CTHs and core is not allowed to be accessed by tourists and the ongoing activities of tourism in the Melghat Tiger Reserve and the adjoining areas have been thus, ordered to be phased out to buffer and fringe zones without disturbing its corridors. The Chourakund guest house will be brought under the control of the Forest Development Corporation of Maharashtra (FDCM) which has entered into a MoU agreement with the Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) to reserve the wildlife areas for commercial ecotourism in India by developing requisite facilities. Besides Chourakund, the tourist guest houses at Rangubeli, Hatru, Chunkadi and Tarubanda will also be brought under the control of FDCM.

The Harisal and Chourakand regions of Melghat Tiger Reserve are some of the best tourist places in India to be developed for Indian ecoutourism for the very reason that these forested patches have one of the best presences of the wild cats like leopards and tigers and other diverse wildlife. The place bears a strong potential for ecotourism in India and the project aims to spread the tourism zone to more than 100 sq kms.

However, even though the Semadoh Sankul of Melghat Tiger Reserve comes beset with good facilities for tourist lodging, tourism will be discontinued there in the near future as the area falls under the core zone of the Melghat Tiger Reserve. But, if you are a student or you are part of an educational institute you stand fair chances of being in the exception for touring this nature reserve as educational camps for students will still be allowed to tour this core zone of Melghat Tiger Reserve. Similarly, the Shahanoor region of Akot Wildlife Division of Melghat will be further groomed with nature trails, additional accommodation and better educational facilities to be exploited as another India ecotourism hotspot.

The Melghat Tiger Reserve or MTR encircles the tourist forbidden region of Gugamal National Park and four sanctuaries which are Wan, Melghat, Ambabarwa and Narnala and once the 15 British-era rest houses plus the inspection huts of the Melghat Tiger Reserve renovated, ecotourism in thesewilderness hotspots of India will experience a further boost.